The Federal Government has announced plans to unlock Nigeria’s mineral wealth, aiming to drive economic growth and diversify the country’s revenue streams.

It said the 9th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to take place from November 18 to 20, 2024, in Abuja aims to showcase the country’s vast mineral resources and their potential to drive national economic growth.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Mary Ogbe while briefing the media on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that the Nigeria Mining Week has grown into a premier platform for stakeholders in the mining industry to gather and engage in meaningful dialogue.

Ogbe said, “Nigeria is home to some of the most valuable untapped mineral resources in the world. As we continue to reform and restructure our regulatory frameworks, the focus remains on unlocking the full potential of these resources in ways that align with sustainable development goals.”

The 2024 conference theme, to be revealed soon, centers on utilising Nigeria’s mineral wealth to propel economic transformation, aligning with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Nigeria’s mining sector has witnessed significant progress under the present administration, with efforts aimed at creating a more investment-friendly environment through transparency, data availability, and regulatory clarity.

“The Nigeria Mining Week 2024 is expected to attract leading voices and decision-makers from across the industry.

“Together, we will deliberate on key issues affecting the mining sector, such as investment promotion, capacity building, technological advancements, and the importance of well-structured Community Development Agreements,” he said.

Similarly, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria(MAN), Dele Ayanleke, explained that over the years, this event has been the only one of its kind that has been attracting the largest participation of non-resident international participants, whether as Sponsors, Exhibitors, Speakers or Delegates.

“It should also be highlighted that the annual event has provided an unequal platform for the incubation of ideas enriching sectoral reforms and policy formulation, made possible by crossbreeding policy initiatives of other mining jurisdictions that are always available to share knowledge for global best industry practices.

“The Nigeria Mining Week also provides unparalleled exposition of whether large, medium or small-scale industry players, to latest and emerging technologies and methodologies to enhance high yield of returns on mining investments.

“Although the Nigeria Mining Week has not attained the height envisioned by its founders in terms of volume of deliverables and participation, it has, however, changed the narratives in terms of drawing global attention to Nigeria rich mineral endowments and matchmaking the indigenous industry players with their global counterparts for enhanced value-added enterprise, among many other numerous achievements highlighted earlier and which have coalesced into the nutrients responsible for the steady growth of the event over the years, including the years of the global pandemic.

“These feats might not have been possible, but for the partnership that works among the organizing partners of Miners Association of Nigeria as the Trademark owners, PwC Nigeria as the Contents Development Partners, the Vuka Group of South Africa as Event Planners and Organizers; and the Ministries of Solid Minerals and Steel Developments as the Hosts of the event,” he stated.

The Partner and Head Mining Sector Business Development, PwC Nigeria, Habeeb Jaiyeola, said the Nigeria Mining Week this year themed “From the inside out: Building the mining sector to be the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy” is positioned to ensure all the achievements in the Nigerian Mining sector are being showcased to the international community and local mining investors.

“We also intend to look at the challenges currently faced by the sector and proffer workable solutions to ensure these challenges are solved.

“PricewaterhouseCoopers Nigeria has supported the mining sector over the years starting from the PwC Roundtable which has now transcended into the Nigeria Mining Week, and we are happy to see the Nigeria Mining Week running its 9th edition this year.

“PwC has remained supportive to the industries and markets we serve, and it is part of our purpose to build trust in society and solve important problems.

“The Mining sector remains one of the key sectors that would contribute significantly to the diversification agenda of the current administration and the need to move Nigeria into a non-oil dependent economy.

“We recognise the tremendous efforts being made by the Nigerian Government towards the development of the Nigerian Mining Sector and are excited for the prospects and opportunities that the sector provides,” he said.

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